Leyland - Seven Stars Tavern

Name: Seven Stars Tavern

Address: 1, Towngate, Leyland

The Seven Stars Tavern (Inn) on Towngate was located directly next door to the Ship Inn and was a beer house rather than a fully licensed public house. The first occupant was Margaret Heywood. She and her husband Thomas started brewing in the 1850s soon after they married in 1853 and are listed on directory records below by occupation when they ran the Old Original Seven Stars on Slater Lane. For clarification, the Seven Stars listed on the 1855 directory below refers to the Seven Stars Hotel on Leyland Lane.

Listed landlords were Margaret Heywood (1861-71), George Wood (1881), Hiram Berry Driver (1891), Ralph Woodcock (1901-17) and Thomas William Blackhurst (-1933). 

1855 Directory Thomas Haywood (Heywood) at the Old Original Seven Stars

1858 Post Office Directory - Thomas Haywood (Heywood) at the Old Original Seven Stars

The following press article covering Thomas Heywood's death in 1858 provides some key information: -

On Wednesday last, Mr. Thomas Heywood, of the Seven Stars Inn, Leyland Lane 

aged 51 years.
24 April 1858 - Preston Chronicle

By giving Thomas' location on Leyland Lane this may suggest that he and Margaret ran the Seven Stars Hotel but it is now clear that they ran the Old Original Seven Stars nearby on Slater Lane and following Thomas' death Margaret eventually moved to Towngate where she opened the Seven Stars Tavern.

The Seven Stars Tavern doesn't appear next to the Ship Inn on the 1861 census nor does Margaret Heywood who was still at Slater Lane in 1861, moving to the Towngate at some time thereafter.

1861 Census Main Street - properties adjacent to the Ship Inn

1861 Census - Margaret Heywood at the Old Original Seven Stars on Slater Lane

1869 Slater's Directory - Margaret Heywood (probably at the Seven Stars Tavern by this time)

Licensing Sessions
Margaret Heywood, of Leyland, was objected for filling drink on Sunday morning, but she was not convicted.
11 September 1869 - Preston Herald

1871 Census - Margaret Heywood at the Seven Stars Tavern

1881 Census

Seven Stars and Ship Inn

1891 Census

Probate of Hiram Driver

1901 Census

1911 Census

1917 Barrett's Directory

Inquest 
 Colonel H. Parker held an inquest at Leyland, this afternoon, on Thomas William Blackhurst, (59), licensee of the Seven Stars Inn, Towngate, Leyland, who was found lying dead with cloth over his face and holding tube near his mouth, the tube attached a gas...
30 January 1933 - Lancashire Evening Post 

2017 The Old Ship Inn (now Chorley Electrical) and lawn area
to the side where the Seven Stars once stood.